Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Bābul (Jun 2010)
Characteristic of Wastewater in the Hospitals of Babol Medical University (Iran)
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hospital wastewater quantity and quality is important for promotion of human and environmental health, because it contains many microbial and chemical pollutants. This study was performed to study the quantity and quality of wastewater in hospitals of Babol medical University and its effects on human and environmental health. METHODS: This cross sectional study was performed on wastewater quantity and quality of 3 teaching hospitals in Babol (Shahid Beheshti, Yahyanejad and Amirkola hospitals). Water consumption rate was identified using issued receipts and wastewater production per bed by water to wastewater ratio. Seventy two mixed samples were obtained, collected and sent to the laboratory for identifying of PH, BOD5, COD, TSS and TC based on standard methods.FINDINGS: Average daily water consumption and wastewater production were 614±74 and 474±73 liter per bed and water-to-wastewater ratio was 79.77%. Mean values of PH was 7.53±0.58. Mean values of BOD5, COD, TSS and TC in raw wastewaters were 400±96 mg/L, 616±166 mg/L, 282±81 mg/L and more than 2400 MPN/100 mL, respectively. Annually total of wastewater volume and loading rate was 100524 m3 and 40210 Kg, respectively. CONCLUSION: Considering the results of the quantity and quality of hospital wastewater and its effects on the environment health, it is necessary to give special attention to the management of wastewater production, construction, upgrading, and good operation of wastewater treatment systems in these hospitals.
